Eagle Pass Biographies (Part Two)

by Blackjack Mulligan
As told to the Mid-Atlantic Gateway

Editor's Note: The Eagle Pass Biographies take a humorous look at those legendary west Texas characters from the fertile mind and imagination of Blackjack Mulligan. All of these names appeared in his TV promos back in the 1970s and 1980s. Part fact, part fiction. True lies and alibis.

PART TWO:
Spider Grip and Sheriff Slim Gabriel
Part One: Uncle Reba Joe and Sara Jo Puckett
Part Three: Scrap Iron, Luther Daniels, Cousin Luke Mulligan and more!



SPIDER GRIP

Spider Grip with one of his trophies.
That's Uncle Jed Mulligan in the background
at left. Pretty sure this is them!

Spider was raised somewhere in Concho County, Texas (county seat is Paint Rock, population 231, about 200 miles southwest of Dallas). He just showed up one day. He stood about 6'1" weighed about 135 lbs. and was the rangiest looking critter that I ever did see. Looked like it had been a while since Spider had had a bath.

Spider was working as a ranch hand and moon-lighted as a rodeo clown for the RCA (Rodeo Cowboys Association), keeping the bulls away from the thrown riders.

I had met Spider while working on a ranch as a youngster. He was the toughest man I ever saw. A water moccasin bit him one day at the crik. Spider just grabbed him and bit his head off, sucked the venom out of the bite, and kept on working...and then he told me to get back to work!

Spider did a lot of hunting over in Junction, TX, a little town halfway between San Angelo and San Antonio. Helped a survey crew clear way for the road between Mason and Rock Springs which ran right through Junction!

Spider got gored by a bull named Chilli Dog and died shortly afterwards.



SHERIFF SLIM GABRIEL

Slim Gabriel was actually sheriff of Ector County, not Duvall County as ol' Mully once represented. He was elected under some very questionable circumstances, some of the voters were...well let's say they had passed on. Slim actually had a piece of the action at the local saloon and the local brothel! Whenever you crossed Slim, bad things could happen. Like disappearing.

As the story goes, Cooter Watson (like the rest of us) had a hankering for a young saloon girl by the name of Sara Jo Puckett. Well, so did Sheriff Slim. Cooter was invited out back by deputies one night where she worked at the Ace O' Clubs and Cooter was never seen again! He actually had it out with Sheriff Slim over Sara Jo, and needless to say that was that for Slim and his political run in Ector County.

They say he has been seen in Mexico working as a smuggler with one eye and a messed up arm! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

The Ballad of Sheriff Slim Gabriel

Coming up next time on Part Three of the Eagle Pass Biographies:
Scrap Iron Adams, Luther Daniels, Crazy Luke Mulligan and more!

Did you miss Part One? Learn all about Uncle Reba Joe and Sara Jo Puckett!

The Eagle Pass Biographies were passed along from Robert Windham to Dick Bourne in emails and phone conversations in October and November of 2006. 
Originally posted on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway in 2006.

Copyright  © Robert Windham and The Mid-Atlantic Gateway